What Are The Differences Between Thomas Hobbes And John Locke?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Locke believed that

we have the right to life as

well as the right to just and impartial protection of our property. Any violation of the social contract would one in a state of war with his fellow countrymen. Conversely, Hobbes believed that if you simply do what you are told, you are safe.

What are the differences between Thomas Hobbes and John Locke political beliefs?

Hobbes was a proponent of Absolutism, a system which placed control of the state in the hands of a single individual, a monarch free from all forms of limitations or accountability. Locke, on the other hand,

favored a more open approach to state-building

.

What were the differences between Thomas Hobbes and John Locke?

At the same time, the views of the two philosophers differed drastically when it came to deeper understanding of their beliefs. For example, Hobbes characterised

people as naturally violent and self-interested beings

, while Locke maintained that people are thoughtful, reasonable and peaceful by nature.

What are the similarities and differences between Thomas Hobbes and John Locke?

Two Philosophers Thomas Hobbes and John Locke both have made contributions to modern political science and they both had

similar views on where power lies in a society

. They both are in favor of a popular contract or constitution, which is where the people give the power to govern to their government.

What did Locke and Hobbes disagree on?

Locke also disagreed with Hobbes

about the social contract

. For him, it was not just an agreement among the people, but between them and the sovereign (preferably a king). According to Locke, the natural rights of individuals limited the power of the king.

What are the 3 effects on society created by the Enlightenment?

The Enlightenment helped combat the excesses of the church,

establish science as a source of knowledge, and defend human rights against tyranny

. It also gave us modern schooling, medicine, republics, representative democracy, and much more.

What was John Locke's big idea?

In political theory, or political philosophy, John Locke refuted the theory of the divine right of kings and argued that

all persons are endowed with natural rights to life, liberty, and property

and that rulers who fail to protect those rights may be removed by the people, by force if necessary.

What type of government did Thomas Hobbes believe in?

Hobbes promoted that

monarchy

is the best form of government and the only one that can guarantee peace. In some of his early works, he only says that there must be a supreme sovereign power of some kind in society, without stating definitively which sort of sovereign power is best.

What were Thomas Hobbes main ideas?

Despite advocating the idea of absolutism of the sovereign, Hobbes developed some of the fundamentals of European liberal thought:

the right of the individual; the natural equality of all men

; the artificial character of the political order (which led to the later distinction between civil society and the state); the …

What ideas do Hobbes and Locke have in common?

Similarities include:

rights, state of nature, atheism, powers of a sovereign, and the idea that governments are beneficial

. John Locke and Thomas Hobbes are two social contract theorist who share similarities in their Social Contract Theories, however they both have differences.

Why did Thomas Hobbes believe in a social contract?

sovereign would make and enforce the laws to secure a peaceful society. This would make life, liberty, and property possible. Hobbes called this agreement the “social contract.” Hobbes believed that

a government headed by a king was the best form that the sovereign could take

.

What is the difference between Hobbes and Locke social contract?

Hobbes theory of Social Contract

supports absolute sovereign without giving any value to individuals

, while Locke and Rousseau supports individual than the state or the government. … He rules out a representative form of government. But, Locke does not make any such distinction.

What did John Locke mean by social contract?

In simple terms, Locke's social contract theory says:

government was created through the consent of the people to be ruled by the majority, “(unless they explicitly agree on some number greater than the majority)

,” and that every man once they are of age has the right to either continue under the government they were …

What were the 3 major ideas of the Enlightenment?

The Enlightenment, sometimes called the ‘Age of Enlightenment', was a late 17th- and 18th-century intellectual movement emphasizing

reason, individualism, and skepticism

.

What are the 5 main ideas of Enlightenment?

At least six ideas came to punctuate American Enlightenment thinking:

deism, liberalism, republicanism, conservatism, toleration and scientific progress

. Many of these were shared with European Enlightenment thinkers, but in some instances took a uniquely American form.

Which are the two most important Enlightenment ideas?

There were two distinct lines of Enlightenment thought: the radical enlightenment,

advocating democracy, , freedom of expression, and eradication of religious authority

. A second, more moderate variety sought accommodation between reform and the traditional systems of power and faith.

Amira Khan
Author
Amira Khan
Amira Khan is a philosopher and scholar of religion with a Ph.D. in philosophy and theology. Amira's expertise includes the history of philosophy and religion, ethics, and the philosophy of science. She is passionate about helping readers navigate complex philosophical and religious concepts in a clear and accessible way.